


The Many Sides of Clinton Francis Grimm

by Caiti (Caitriona_3), GalahadsGurl



Series: The Cahill Project [15]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Grimm (TV), Hawkeye (Comics), Les Miserables (kinda), Supernatural, Thor (Movies), Winter Soldier (Comics)
Genre: Archery, Awesome Bucky Barnes, Awesome Clint Barton, Awesome Darcy Lewis, Dacia needs a hug, Family Bonding, Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-11
Updated: 2016-08-11
Packaged: 2018-08-08 02:06:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7739302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caitriona_3/pseuds/Caiti, https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalahadsGurl/pseuds/GalahadsGurl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a commission for Caiti. The first part was all me. The second part was Caiti, telling us how her girls are feeling about all of this. </p><p>Let me know what you think. I AM still working on the next chapter. I'm just trying to get caught up; moving created a massive backlog and I am still slushing through. </p><p>Thank you all for your continued support of this universe. Your reviews make my life and inspire me to continue on. Thank you!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Clint

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Caiti (Caitriona_3)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caitriona_3/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Darcy and Bucky, sitting under a tree . . . regrettably **NOT** K-I-S-S-I-N-G. Instead, they were trying to repair their boyfriend's relationship with Vincent's two girls. 
> 
> This . . . could be harder than they think.

[ ](https://imgur.com/o7kfmkj)

Chapter 1: Clint

Clint Grimm was a lot of things. Rambunctious, overzealous and sarcastic as hell, just for starters. He was also fiercely devoted to his family, gentle to a fault with the family's children, and utterly devoted to his two very different and equally worshipped lovers. Which is why it was so difficult for him to understand why Dacia Leikos and Inari Todd were both so wary of him. He sincerely hadn’t intended to scare Inari, or freak out Dacia, the first day they’d met. He has always been prone to heights, and watching his family jump a mile when he suddenly dropped out of the sky would occasionally make his day. But he never intended to scare them . . . to frighten them in any way.

Regrettably, his display of this typical behavior had Dacia and Inari avoiding him at all costs. Which sucked, because from everything he could see, those two girls were kick ass awesome.

At the moment, he had spent the morning in the forested area situated behind Will and Marina’s house on base, hanging out with some of his favorite people. Edward, his Aunt Gretel’s troll, lived among the trees and as far as Clint was concerned, he and the troll were **bros**. Half the time, Clint would prefer to hang out with Edward over most of the people in S.H.I.E.L.D. and 99.9% of STRIKE (which honestly wasn't saying much; except for Grant Ward, STRIKE were assholes). The troll would let him perch on his shoulders all the time, and would even huff his version of a laugh when the archer would tell a lame joke. (If that wasn’t a sign of friendship, Clint didn’t know what was.)

All of this was precluded by his nephew's request from that morning. Rene had approached him, asking his youngest uncle to teach him how to shoot archery. The family firebrand was hot-headed and brash, and was hoping the patience and dedication needed to be successful at the sport would offer him a chance to learn some. _Samonik_ had offered to teach his foster brother, claiming to be good at archery and allowing Clint to spend some much needed time with his Soldier and their beloved Mockingbird, something they both had had little of lately.

Even still, the archer had agreed to help the younger Winchester get ready for their lesson, setting up a makeshift archery range among Edward’s trees and offering up the use of his practice bows as well. Clint had wheedled Bucky and Darcy into coming with him, the three making plans to cuddle on the picnic blanket Darcy had spread out against the base of one large tree, with the archer giving pointers as they were needed. After all, the youngest Grimm had believed Sam knew how to shoot. . . until he saw him line up his first shot.

Lunging forward to save the bow from the Sasquatch, he shouted, “Whoa whoa whoa, no!”

 _Samonik_ cocked an eyebrow, a soft blush creeping across his cheeks at the sound of the girls coming into the clearing where the temporary range had been set up. “What!?”

Clint glanced over at the girls, gifting them with a small smile of greeting, before turning back to the younger man. “I thought you said you knew how to shoot.”

“I do know how to shoot! My brother taught me,” the young man insisted hotly, earning a cocked eyebrow from the archer as he sighed, “Clearly he had no idea what he was talking about.”

That clearly put the young man's back up, his shoulders straightened sharply as _Samonik_ glowered at the man. “My father taught Dean how to shoot.”

“Okay, then your **DAD** didn't know what the hell he was doing.” Clint scoffed with a roll of his eyes. “If you want to learn how to shoot, and shoot **right** , I’ll teach you. But I’m not going to let you claim to know how to shoot archery when you nearly broke my bow on your first try.”

“What makes you think you know a damned thing about archery? I’ve heard Brian tease you about your lazy stance.”

Clint didn’t even blink, drawing an arrow out of the quiver at his back, and shooting an arrow into the target 50 feet away without taking his eyes off Sam’s face. The arrow pierced the bull’s eye and trembled, causing raised eyebrows from Dacia and Rene. “When you can put an arrow through the bull’s eye without looking, then you can lecture me about my lazy stance. I’m not tournament rigid in the field, because I have to be on the move while I’m shooting. So yeah, I’m not always planted and stationary. But you know what, I never miss my target, even after falling from a rooftop and shooting on the way over.”

Darcy called out from where she was cuddling Bucky on the blanket, “Ease it back, Hawkass. He’s just a kid.”

“Who thinks he knows something about something,” Clint called back, grey eyes piercing as they scanned Sam’s own hazel. “You wanna learn to really shoot, I’ll teach you. But that comes with the understanding, that your dad had no business teaching anyone archery, because he clearly taught bad habits that your brother then passed on to you. _Da_?”

Sam’s face was petulant as he grumbled, “Fine.”

The archer beamed at the kid cheerfully, as he chirped, “Good,” seconds before Edward came lumbering from the trees just past the target.

Dacia and Inari both perked up at the sight of the creature, Dacia cooing, “Oh! Look, Inari . . . troll!”

Inari’s eyes were speculative as she asked curiously, “So which one of the family is his witch?”

It was a sad fact of Grimm life that Hansel and Gretel Kuhn rarely realized they needed protecting from the opinions of stupid baby agents. As a result, Clint and Aaron (with the occasional, and more than capable, assistance of Brian) were usually the ones to leap to their defense. Someone saying anything even potentially negative about either of them? Clint’s defensive setting triggered hard.

As a result, the second the word “witch” passed Inari’s lips, Clint’s protective instincts roared to the forefront and he rounded on the teenagers. “Do **NOT** talk smack about my Aunt Badass. She is kickass awesome and will absolutely fuck you up. She doesn’t need magic to turn you black and blue.” Grinning up at his friend, as the troll came to a stop at his side, Clint sprang up onto his shoulder and perched there easily, fingers moving in a tender rhythm through what hair Edward had as he continued, “Also, my man Edward is awesome. I will not tolerate any disrespect towards him in anyway, you got me?”

It was clear that neither of the girls had expected the fierceness of Clint’s response. Inari’s eyes were wide and startled, her body edging slightly behind Dacia, while the blonde girl had moved into an attack ready stance in front of her sister, her eyes shining with subdued Woge red and fingers curled into claws. Fortunately for all of them, Darcy instantly burst into a torrent of amused laughter. “Chill out, Hawkass! In what world would anyone be stupid enough to badmouth your Aunt Gretel?!”

The question was enough to call Clint back from his own aggressive posture. Leaning companionably against Edward’s head, the archer agreed cheerfully, “Good point. Aunt Gret is wicked cool!”

There was a minute relaxation in Dacia’s shoulders as she muttered to her sister, “Like we’d pick on a witch in a front of her troll?” 

The red in Dacia’s eyes began to fade as she watched the archer practically cuddle the troll’s head. For her part, Inari had edged out from behind the other girl, watching Clint talk easily with the troll, the two obviously close friends despite the disparities in their languages. Bucky smiled at the two girls, teasing them at his lover’s expense, “Ignore Clint. We do.”

There was a clear hint of suspicion and confusion in Dacia’s tone as she demanded brusquely, “Is he always that mental?”

Darcy smiled kindly at the girls, nodding once. “Say what you want about Clint, but his family and their happiness has always been his first priority.”

The former Winter Soldier gestured to the blanket beside them, “Come take a seat. Clint’s just teaching Rene how to shoot archery.”

“What does he know about archery?” Inari asked curiously, cocking her head as she watched Sam grumble next to Rene. The Fuchsbau sat down on the blanket, legs crossed, though Bucky only smiled when Dacia dropped into a crouch at her side, tension and distrust practically thrumming through her body. 

“ _Khishchnik _’s primary weapon is a bow. He’s been shooting archery since he was 9 years old or so. He knows a hell of a lot about archery,” Bucky replied, chuckling as he watched Clint plant a smacking, affectionate kiss on the troll’s crown, before slithering down his arm and heading towards the two boys. “Just watch.”__

__It quickly became clear to the two girls that Clint was clearly knowledgeable about archery . . . and that his nephew clearly adored him. Dacia in particular seemed surprised by this, her head cocking as she watched the youngest Grimm use gentle hands and calm words to guide his nephew into taking his first solo shot. The arrow went very wide, but there was sincere praise from the archer as he urged Rene to try again. The second shot winged the edge of the target, earning a brilliant grin from Rene, Clint ruffling his hair as though Rene had just scored a gold medal at the Olympics._ _

__“He scared me, back when I first met him,” Inari announced cautiously, earning a sharp snort of amusement from Darcy._ _

__The brunette was chuckling as she teased, “You don’t say.”_ _

__Neither of the two missed the sharp look Dacia shot the intern, despite Inari’s attempt to hide the look. Either way, Bucky said nothing and only rolled his eyes, fingers coming up to pinch his lover’s hip gently. “Be nice, Dollface.”_ _

__“That was nice,” Darcy replied, elbowing her lover lightly, before turning back to Inari. “Clint loves kids. All the kids in the family have declared him their favorite uncle; he would never have hurt you girls. He would have sliced his own hand off first.”_ _

__It was a well known fact among the family that Dacia and Rene were already pretty close, and blue eyes were intense as she watched the blond teenager, murmuring curiously, “Rene likes him.”_ _

__“Yeah . . . when Rene first came to the family, he was pretty damaged,” the _Soldat_ agreed with a sad smile. “The men in his life were terrible; and that’s not including the fact his biological father had just murdered his biological mother in front of him. He trusted Will and Marina and his older brother Sam, but the rest of the men in the family? For awhile he shied away . . . he bolted . . . he flinched whenever we’d get too close. Clint was the first of his uncles to befriend Rene, to convince the kid that no one in the family would hurt him. They’ve always been close, ever since.”_ _

__“I don’t think I expected him to be so . . .” there was a noticeable pause from the girl, as she clearly struggled to find the right word for her thought process. When she spoke again, it was grudging, “. . . gentle.”_ _

__“You should give Clint a chance,” Darcy insisted with a fond smile at the two girls. “He’s so sweet . . . he just doesn’t always think before he leaps. Sometimes literally.”_ _

__Dacia was clearly still undecided, her eyes neutral as she twisted to look at her sister. As for Inari, the young girl nibbled on her lower lip, clearly softening towards the man. It was only a few moments more, before the Fuchsbau pushed herself to her feet and moved to stand beside Sam Winchester. Still tucked a little bit behind the taller teenager, she fixed the archer with a timid gaze and asked cautiously, “Can you teach me too?”_ _

__Clint blinked at her, startled by the question, before his whole body seemed to explode into subdued elation. “Absolutely! Do you know anything about archery?”_ _

__“No,” she confessed with a solemn shake of her head._ _

__“That’s all right,” he agreed, hands up where she could see them as he approached slowly. “May I touch you?”_ _

__There was a second where she seemed to be considering the question, before she nodded once, “Okay.”_ _

__He grinned at her brightly, bending to scoop up a smaller weight bow, before offering it to her with a playful bow. “My lady . . . your weapon.”_ _

__Caught off guard by his playfulness, Inari giggled as she accepted the weapon. “Thank you, Sir.”_ _

__The grin on his lips was huge as he winked at her fondly, before stepping around behind her to guide her hands gently into the right places, not that he got that far. It was clear he could feel her body lock up tight at the feel of him behind her, and he waited for her to relax, his hands clear of her body and out to the sides where she could see them. They stood together for a long time, before the dark-haired teenager took a deep breath and consciously relaxed her frame. He smiled gently, asking softly, “You okay?”_ _

__She took a deep breath, holding it for a second, then released it with a firm nod. “Yes.”_ _

__“Good. I’m gonna touch you, okay? Just to show you how to hold the bow - then I’ll let go.”_ _

__“Okay.”_ _

__He made sure to move with slow and sure confidence, guiding her into holding the bow correctly and then nocking the arrow to take her first shot. Her eyes went wide in giddy delight as her arrow nicked the edge of the target and hung there precariously. “I hit it!”_ _

__He laughed amiably, agreeing, “You did! Great effort!” Pulling another arrow from his own quiver, he asked, “Wanna try again?”_ _

__“Yes!” she squealed with a brilliant grin, fingers coming out to grab the arrow and nocking it against the string again._ _

__“All right then,” he laughed, hands coming up as he took a few steps back from her, conscious not to crowd the Fuchsbau. Clasping his hands behind his back, he surveyed his three earnest students and called firmly, “Archers, to the line!” A moment passed as the three moved into position, before he insisted, “Range is open . . . fire at will.”_ _

__Dacia cocked her head as she watched the rambunctious Grimm settle into a solemn and sincere teacher, patient and gentle with each of his students. He never got angry, never lost patience. He spoke firmly and calmly, hands soft and conscious as he guided and coaxed them into the correct posture and stance. “He might not be so bad,” the blond acknowledged. There was a moment as she tossed a sidelong glance towards the archer’s two grinning lovers, before she huffed out a grudging, “Maybe.”_ _

__The dark haired former intern winked at the younger Blutbad, as she grinned around the straw of her iced tea. “Told ya!”_ _


	2. Dacia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dacia has her own opinions about the youngest Grimm, and most of them are not flattering. 
> 
> At least, she doesn't think they are. If he keeps being this awesome with her sister, though, she may have to change her mind.
> 
> (Credit for the banner to Caiti. Isn't she awesome!?)

[ ](https://imgur.com/9vkQ1ZQ)

Chapter 2: Dacia 

Clint glanced their way and gave them a small smile.

Dacia flicked an eyebrow, acknowledging the smile, but keeping her response neutral. People liked the guy, but she just couldn’t get comfortable around him. He was too erratic, too quick to jump around and it made her wary. Listening as he talked to Sam didn’t do much to settle her either. She could understand his frustration with the guy, but she’d walk before she’d get caught in that kind of faceoff. Her instincts would demand fight or flight…and fighting would get both of them hurt. Then she scanned the rest of the group and acknowledged that fighting would probably also get her dead.

Then he shot a bull’s eye.

Her eyebrows went up. Okay, she could admit to being impressed. With his shooting anyway – she still wasn’t sure about his attitude. Inari shifted beside her and the blonde teen took a moment to soothe her sister as Sam agreed to practice under Clint’s direction. The older man’s abrupt change in mood had both girls stepping back. How the hell were they ever supposed to trust a guy who shifted with the wind?

Speaking of the wind…

A new scent drew her head around as she heard heavy footsteps in the nearby trees. Something about that scent tickled her memory. “I know that,” she murmured. Inari nodded, but didn’t say anything. All eyes turned as a troll came lumbering out of the trees. Dacia’s lips curved into a delighted smile. “Oh! Look, Inari…troll!”

Her sister’s eyes turned speculative. “So,” Inari wondered aloud, “which one of the family is his witch?”

“Do NOT talk smack about my Aunt Badass.” Clint rounded on them. Dacia felt her eyes beginning to glow as Inari flinched back from the sudden attack. “She is kickass awesome and will absolutely fuck you up. She doesn’t need magic to turn you black and blue.” He jumped onto the troll’s shoulder. “Also, my man Edward is awesome. I will not tolerate any disrespect towards him in anyway, you got me?”

Dacia knew her claws and teeth were on display, bared at him as she prepared to fight should he so much as inch in their direction. Oh, yeah, she’d been right that first night – they couldn’t trust this guy.

Then Darcy burst into a torrent of amused laughter. “Chill out, Hawkass! In what world would anyone be stupid enough to badmouth your Aunt Gretel?!”

“Good point.” Clint relaxed. “Aunt Gret is wicked cool!”

“Like we’d pick on witch in front of her troll?” the Blutbad muttered as she made her shoulders relax. Inari peeked around her, the Fuschbau not yet comfortable enough to leave her shelter behind Dacia. 

“Ignore Clint,” Bucky suggested. “We do.”

Cobalt blue eyes narrowed, flickering from Clint to Bucky and back. “Is he always that mental?” she demanded, confusion and suspicion clear in her tone.

“Say what you want about Clint,” Darcy offered with a kind smile, “but his family and their happiness has always been his first priority.”

“Come take a seat.” Bucky gestured towards the blanket beside them. “Clint’s just teaching Rene how to shoot archery.”

“What does he know about archery?” Inari asked, cocking her head as she watched Sam grumble next to Rene. Dacia crouched beside her, unable to sit with her nerves and instincts still on alert.

“ _Khishchnik_ ’s primary weapon is a bow. He’s been shooting archery since he was 9 years old or so. He knows a hell of a lot about archery,” Bucky chuckled. “Just watch.”

Oh, Dacia planned to watch alright. Anybody that unstable needed to be watched. As she settled, she noted the adoration Rene held for him. Over the past couple of weeks, Dacia had become fast friends with Rene. He could make her laugh, something few of the others had yet managed, but she also understood him – accepting his need to change the world…even if her own cynicism figured he was doomed to disappointment. With Rene, Clint showed a more patient, gentle side…would he have that with Sam eventually? 

“He scared me, back when I first met him,” Inari noted.

Darcy gave a sharp snort of agreement. “You don’t say,” she teased, earning a narrow-eyed look from Dacia which she didn’t see…or ignored.

Bucky rolled his eyes and reached out to pinch her hip. “Be nice, Dollface.”

“That was nice,” Darcy replied, elbowing her lover before turning back to Inari. “Clint loves kids. All the kids in the family have declared him their favorite uncle; he would never have hurt you girls. He would have sliced his own hand off first.” 

Dacia didn’t bother to reply to that one - she would make up her own mind on that point – but Inari relaxed. The blonde teenager tilted her head as she watched the man in question work with the boys. “Rene likes him,” she mused.

“Yeah . . . when Rene first came to the family, he was pretty damaged,” the _Soldat_ agreed with a sad smile. “The men in his life were terrible; and that’s not including the fact his biological father had just murdered his biological mother in front of him. He trusted Will and Marina and his older brother Sam, but the rest of the men in the family? For a while he shied away . . . he bolted . . . he flinched whenever we’d get too close. Clint was the first of his uncles to befriend Rene, to convince the kid that no one in the family would hurt him. They’ve always been close, ever since.”

Her eyes flickered as she considered her own reactions to the men. She still couldn’t quite decide what had convinced her to trust Vincent or Hansel or Sam…the elder one…but she knew she still flinched when one of the others approached her too quickly. How long would it be before she didn’t feel the need to watch over her shoulder? “I don’t think I expected him to be so…gentle.”

“You should give Clint a chance,” Darcy insisted with a fond smile at the two girls. “He’s so sweet . . . he just doesn’t always think before he leaps. Sometimes literally.”

The two girls exchanged a glance, Dacia’s still leaning neutral. Inari, on the other hand, seemed to be softening. Biting her lip, the Fuchsbau’s eyes flickered between her sister and the three males at the archery field. A few moments passed and Dacia watched as emotions warred for supremacy on Inari’s face. Then the dark-haired teen pushed herself to her feet and moved over to stand close to Sam. Despite being slightly tucked behind the taller teenager, she managed to fix a gaze on the archer. 

“Can you teach me too?” she asked, caution the strongest note in her voice. 

Clint blinked at her. Surprise flared in his expression for the briefest of moments before his whole body seemed to explode with elation…an elation he immediately leashed. “Absolutely!” He focused on her. “Do you know anything about archery?”

“No,” she confessed with a solemn shake of her head.

“That’s all right,” he accepted. He approached her, slow and careful, with his hands up where she could see them. Something in Dacia’s chest released, like a knot coming loose, at his gentle handling of her sister. She remained crouched instead of sitting, but she could feel her muscles beginning to relax as he continued. “May I touch you?” 

Inari tilted her head, considering the question before nodding once. “Okay.”

He gave her a bright grin, bending to scoop up another bow, smaller in weight than those being used by the boys. “My lady, you weapon,” he offered with a lighthearted bow.

“Thank you, sir,” she giggled, caught off-guard by his playfulness.

A fond wink accompanied the huge grin as he stepped around behind her to guide her hands into the right places…though he didn’t get that far. Inari locked up and Dacia could scent her unease. The blond teen forced herself to remain still. This had been her sister’s choice…and given Clint’s gentleness with the shy girl, Dacia thought Inari might overcome the momentary fear. If he remained careful and she settled, then Dacia would let things be.

But she did keep a watchful eye on the scene.

Clint froze, remaining calm and steady as he waited for Inari to grow accustomed to him. After several long minutes, Dacia could see Inari talking herself into relaxing. The Fuchsbau took a deep breath and her shoulders came down. “You okay?” Clint asked, his voice soft.

Inari took another deep breath, holding it for a second, then released it with a firm nod. “Yes.”

“Good. I’m going to touch you, okay? Just to show you how to hold the bow – then I’ll let go.”

“Okay.”

Confidence showed in his slow movements as he guided her hands into the correct positions. He helped her nock her first arrow. She took the shot. Inari’s eyes went wide with giddy delight as she watched her arrow fly straight to the target, nicking the edge and hanging there.

Barely.

“I hit it!”

Dacia didn’t bother repressing the smile that blossomed on her lips at her sister’s cheerful cry. Now she could sit down. She slipped out of her crouch to curl into a small ball on the blanket. Clint’s care and caution with Inari won him some brownie points. The proud, congratulatory grin he gave her sister won him a few more.

“You did! Great effort!” Clint pulled an arrow from his own quiver to offer the dark haired girl. “Wanna try again?”

“Yes!” A brilliant grin accompanied the joyful squeal. Inari grabbed the arrow and nocked it against the string once more. 

“All right then,” he laughed as he took a few steps to the side, clearly making sure not to crowd her. He clasped his hands behind his back and surveyed his three students. “Archers, to the line!” They moved into position. “Range is open. Fire at will.”

“He might not be so bad,” Dacia acknowledged as she watched the unpredictable Grimm settle into a solemn and sincere teacher, one who remained patient and gentle with each of his students. He didn’t get angry or impatient with them. Rather he spoke with a calm, firm authority as he guided them into the correct stance and posture. Her blue eyes flashed as she gave a sidelong glance to the man’s grinning lovers. “Maybe.” 

It remained to be seen if he could find a connection with her, but as long as he stayed like this with her sister, then she could accept the man. At least she wouldn’t have to keep treating him as a ticking time bomb…though she sure wouldn’t stop keeping an eye on the trees. 

Heart failure wasn’t high on list of ways to die.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Caiti is the reigning expert on her girls. And they are AWESOME! Inari is coming up next! Let me know what you think? Please!?


	3. Inari

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He's wild, unpredictable, unsteady and unnerving. And yet . . . 
> 
> She probably likes him. She just needs a little more time to decide. 
> 
> (Credit for the banner to Caiti.)

[](https://imgur.com/a8oBhKV)

Chapter 3: Inari

Clint glanced their way and gave them a small smile.

Inari gave a long, slow blink – her way of acknowledging him without giving away too much of her own feelings. She wanted to like this man. He always seemed so gentle with the children and he laughed a lot. But then again…he scared her with the way he seemed to bounce around. It was like he couldn’t stay still. Not like Dacia and her prowling need for security, but with all this excess, out of control energy. She shifted, uncomfortable as he talked to Sam. Dacia put an arm around her shoulders and she let herself be soothed even as she kept her eyes on the two males.

Did he have to sound quite so…harsh with Sam?

Okay, that wasn’t fair. Her teachers had sounded a lot like that when it came to learning the trade. They always said you had to be strict on the basics or you got sloppy on technique. Maybe she should give him more leniency? Sam agreed to practice under Clint’s direction and the older man’s abrupt change in mood had both girls stepping back. 

Before she could wrap her head around the switch, a new scent drew her attention. “I know that,” Dacia murmured and Inari nodded in agreement, though she remained silent as she tried to remember what type of creature made that scent. A troll came lumbering out of the trees. Inari blinked as Dacia’s lips curved into a delighted smile. “Oh! Look, Inari…troll!”

How long had it been since they’d seen an actual troll? She wasn’t sure she could remember – and that sucked because trolls could be adorable…no matter what the fairy tales said. Then she frowned. Wait a minute. A troll…in the open and near humans. Well, that only meant one thing. “So,” Inari wondered aloud, “which one of the family is his witch?”

“Do NOT talk smack about my Aunt Badass.” Clint rounded on them. Inari flinched back, her heart rate tripling at the sudden attack. “She is kickass awesome and will absolutely fuck you up. She doesn’t need magic to turn you black and blue.” He jumped onto the troll’s shoulder. “Also, my man Edward is awesome. I will not tolerate any disrespect towards him in anyway, you got me?”

Inari felt the woge coming over her and she knew her hair had to be streaked with red as she pulled back to give her sister a clear shot at the male should he prove dangerous.

Then Darcy burst into a torrent of amused laughter. “Chill out, Hawkass! In what world would anyone be stupid enough to badmouth your Aunt Gretel?!”

“Good point.” Clint relaxed. “Aunt Gret is wicked cool!”

She watched her sister’s shoulders twitch. “Like we’d pick on witch in front of her troll?” the Blutbad muttered. Inari peeked around her, the Fuschbau not yet comfortable enough to leave her shelter behind Dacia.

“Ignore Clint,” Bucky suggested. “We do.”

“Is he always that mental?” Dacia demanded, confusion and suspicion clear in her tone. Inari grimaced…sometimes her sister could be a bit of a battering ram – all force and little subtlety.

“Say what you want about Clint,” Darcy offered with a kind smile, “but his family and their happiness has always been his first priority.”

“Come take a seat.” Bucky gestured towards the blanket beside them. “Clint’s just teaching Rene how to shoot archery.”

“What does he know about archery?” Inari asked, cocking her head as she watched Sam grumble next to Rene. She took a seat on the blanket. Her sister crouched beside her, apparently still too wound up to actually sit down.

“ _Khishchnik_ ’s primary weapon is a bow. He’s been shooting archery since he was 9 years old or so. He knows a hell of a lot about archery,” Bucky chuckled. “Just watch.”

Doing as he said, the dark-haired girl watched as Clint worked with his nephew. She had to smile as she saw him praise the teen. Having been a con artist and a street kid, Inari knew how to read people and everything spoke of a close relationship between the two males. “He scared me, back when I first met him,” Inari noted.

Darcy gave a sharp snort of agreement. “You don’t say,” she teased. 

Dacia gave the woman a narrow-eyed stare which Inari tried to block. Her dark eyes flashed with a warning look…which her sister ignored.

Bucky rolled his eyes and reached out to pinch her hip. “Be nice, Dollface.”

“That was nice,” Darcy replied, elbowing her lover before turning back to Inari. “Clint loves kids. All the kids in the family have declared him their favorite uncle; he would never have hurt you girls. He would have sliced his own hand off first.” 

Inari relaxed. Darcy never tried to hide her feelings or her opinions. She spoke her mind with a forthright honesty that the Fuchsbau usually shook her head over. In this particular case, she appreciated it. Maybe she could let herself move past that first impression…maybe.

It would kind of depend on how he treated her now. 

“Rene likes him,” Dacia mused. Inari rolled her eyes. And her sister thought Inari had made friends with Sam fast?

“Yeah . . . when Rene first came to the family, he was pretty damaged,” the _Soldat_ agreed with a sad smile. “The men in his life were terrible; and that’s not including the fact his biological father had just murdered his biological mother in front of him. He trusted Will and Marina and his older brother Sam, but the rest of the men in the family? For a while he shied away . . . he bolted . . . he flinched whenever we’d get too close. Clint was the first of his uncles to befriend Rene, to convince the kid that no one in the family would hurt him. They’ve always been close, ever since.”

Biting her lip, Inari gave her sister a sidelong glance. Dacia still flinched or pulled away from most men. The Fuchsbau might be the skittish one, but she had nothing on the blonde’s suspicion of all things male. 

“I don’t think I expected him to be so…gentle,” Dacia admitted.

“You should give Clint a chance,” Darcy insisted with a fond smile at the two girls. “He’s so sweet . . . he just doesn’t always think before he leaps. Sometimes literally.”

The two girls exchanged a glance, Dacia’s still leaning neutral. Inari, on the other hand, sat there with her heart and her mind warring with each other. Biting her lip, the Fuchsbau’s eyes flickered between her sister and the three males at the archery field. Then the dark-haired teen pushed herself to her feet and moved over to stand close to Sam. Despite being slightly tucked behind the taller teenager, she managed to fix a gaze on the archer. 

“Can you teach me too?” she asked as she watched him for any sign of instability. Hopefully only Dacia would notice how close she was to bolting. 

Clint blinked at her. Surprise flared in his expression for the briefest of moments before his whole body seemed to explode with elation…an elation he immediately leashed. “Absolutely!” He focused on her. “Do you know anything about archery?”

“No,” she confessed with a solemn shake of her head.

“That’s all right,” he accepted. He approached her, slow and careful, with his hands up where she could see them. “May I touch you?” 

Some of the jitters left her. “Okay.”

He gave her a bright grin, bending to scoop up another bow, smaller in weight than those being used by the boys. “My lady, you weapon,” he offered with a lighthearted bow.

“Thank you, sir,” she giggled, caught off-guard by his playfulness.

A fond wink accompanied the huge grin as he stepped around behind her to guide her hands into the right places…though he didn’t get that far. As soon as she could feel his body heat at her back, Inari felt every muscle in her body lock into place. Her heart felt like it might race out of her chest and she could feel her breath growing short. Don’t move….don’t move… Right that moment she could not have said whether her thoughts were a warning or a prayer.

She felt like prey caught by the sharp eyes of a predator.

But Clint didn’t move closer. He didn’t pull back either. Instead he waited…he remained still and he waited, giving her time to grow accustomed to his presence. Relax, she told herself. He won’t hurt you. Relax. After several long, nerve-wracking minutes, she managed to take in a deep breath and relax her shoulders.

“You okay?” Clint asked, his voice soft.

Inari took another deep breath, holding it for a second, then released it with a firm nod. “Yes.”

“Good. I’m going to touch you, okay? Just to show you how to hold the bow – then I’ll let go.”

She could work with that. He was teaching her, not trapping her. “Okay.”

Confidence showed in his slow movements as he guided her hands into the correct positions. He helped her nock her first arrow. She took the shot. Inari’s eyes went wide with giddy delight as she watched her arrow fly straight to the target, nicking the edge and hanging there.

Barely, yes, but still!

“I hit it!” She could feel her lips stretching into a wide smile. 

“You did! Great effort!” Clint pulled an arrow from his own quiver to offer the dark haired girl. “Wanna try again?”

“Yes!” A brilliant grin accompanied the joyful squeal. Inari grabbed the arrow and nocked it against the string once more. 

“All right then,” he laughed as he took a few steps to the side, clearly making sure not to crowd her. He clasped his hands behind his back and surveyed his three students. “Archers, to the line!” They moved into position. “Range is open. Fire at will.”

Inari giggled as she fired another arrow. Okay, maybe Clint was kind of jumpy and too energetic at times…but she still thought she could get to like this side of him. He remained patient with all three of them, correcting their posture with firm but calm authority, never growing angry or impatient when they made mistakes. When he helped her, he kept his touch gentle and his voice soft. 

Yeah, she could like this guy…and maybe one day she would be relaxed enough to draft him into one of her jobs. Well…if she could get away with a job – Cat seemed pretty astute and Vincent wasn’t a pushover.

Maybe not a job then…maybe a prank? That would be fun too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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